This invention relates to improved apparatus for slitting double plush fabric. Currently, an indexing knife is used for slitting double plush fabrics. These fabrics are constructed in the form of a sandwich with a backing layer on the top and bottom and yarns extending therebetween. The cutting apparatus is a circular knife held in a carriage which moves back and forth upon a dove-tail track. The circular knife is held by a ratchet wheel which can be rotated by a pawl on the carriage. When the carriage reaches the end of the dove-tail track, the inertia of the carriage causes the blade to rotate. As a result of the circular blade being constantly rotated, wear is evenly distributed around the blade. The circular blade reciprocates on the dove-tail track across the width of the fabric. The carriage rides on bearings which are attached to the dove-tail track to allow movement in the horizontal plane with a minimum of movement in the vertical plane. The bearing is an extended member which conforms to the angle of the dove-tail track. Due to variations in the track, the carriage has some looseness which results in defects in the double plush fabric. This is due to the balance that must be reached in allowing movement on the dove-tail track by utilizing a bearing which conforms to the exact shape of the dove-tail track. It is found that there must inherently be some play between the bearing and the dove-tail track, thereby resulting in significant quality problems. Furthermore, there is very little or no flexibility in the bearings which conform exactly to the dimensions of a dove-tail track.
The present invention solves these problems that are not disclosed in prior art.